Wire tagging machine



Aug; 11, 1959 T. A. GULEMI 2,398,719

WIRE TAGGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 3, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 s01. ENO/D ops/a4 TED V/IL VE INVEN1LOR THOMAS/4 61/: 507/ 11, 1959 T. A. GULEMl 2,898,719

WIRE TAGGING MACHINE 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 3, 1957 I 7 Z... T v "1g INVENTOR T/ QMASA. 60L EM/ Aug. 11, 1959 T. A. GULEMI I 2,898,719

I WIRE TAGGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 3,- 1957 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 76 CUTTER 5/ 1mm) W Tao/14454.60; EM/

2 0 OFF CONT 4 sw/ra/ v I on I I V 1'4 N I /9 I I 55 51/ T/IZLL: Log-)1 A) 2 4 m ca 775/? 0/36/64 TING sour/vow 70 52 MflNU/JL fll/70M4T/C SWITCH 4/ W RETURN Q I 5 I v 0 41/? CYLINDER 34 T I CONTROL 50L ENG/D5 INVENTOR B ADV/W65 RETURN I 7 ATTOR E Aug. 11, 1959 T. A. GULEMI WIRE TAGGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 5, 1957 INVENTQR THO /{f/JS 4. 604 EM/ ATTORNE United States Patent WIRE TAGGING MACHINE Thomas A. Gulemi, Springfield Gardens, N.Y., assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, Great Neck, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 3, 1957, Serial No. 632,324

Claims. (Cl. 53-198) This invention relates to tagging machines, particularly to a machine for fastening distinctive tags to the ends of a plurality of insulated wires in rapid succession for identification purposes as a step in preparing an intricate harness for electronic and other electrical apparatus. Where a number of like harnesses are needed, bundles of like wires are cut to proper length, assembled, and a numbered tag placed on each wire (or a selected portion thereof). Heretofore this operation has been performed with difficulty by hand because of the tendency of the tape to stick to the fingers, and the purpose of this invention is to devise a machine to apply these tags in rapid succession from a continuous roll of contact or pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. In my apparatus, the tape is fed intermittently from a continuous roll and a short length is wrapped around the wire so as to securely adhere thereto with a projecting tab, and finally cut from the roll at which time a new wire is inserted and a new cycle started by the operator.

Referring to the drawings in which a preferred form of my invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved tag-applying device;

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a wire after having an identifying tag attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the device shown in Fig. 1, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale of the cutter and its operating solenoid taken on the line 3-3 of Fig 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed showing on a larger scale of the adjustable mounting of the lifting pin for the operating foot;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing details of said pin and the cooperating cam block on the foot;

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of a modified form of the cam block on the foot shown in cooperation with the pin;

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and are detailed, side views of the operating foot and platen showing the several steps in applying an adhesive tag to the wire; and

Fig. 11 is a simplified wiring diagram of my machine.

The adhesive tape 1, such as Scotch tape is shown as wound on spool 1" or other dispenser, from which it is drawn over a platen 2 with the tacky side uppermost. It first passes under a guiding and smoothing springpressed member 4 which removes the wrinkles and causes it to lie fiat. It then passes between two upstanding, rearwardly inclined, ears 5 at each side of the platen which are preferably adjustably clamped to the platen by means of bolt 6 passing through the downward extensions of both ears and through a slot 7 in the supporting framework 8 to clamp the ears against the frame in the position desired.

The tape is then shown as passing under the forward portion 9 of a bifurcated foot or pressure member 10 which in one position of the cycle, as shown in Figs. 1

and 7, rests on top. of the end of the tape and adheres to it. The rearward portion 11 of said. foot is slightly shorter than the forward portion 10 and is provided with a rearwardly extending lip 12 which extends rearwardly to the end 13 of the platen.

A cutter in the form of a knife-edged disc or wheel 14 is shown slightly below a transverse slot 15 in the platen and below the slot 10 in the foot. The cutting wheel is pivotally mounted on a lever 16 by a pivot pin 17 extending between upstanding ears 18, and the lever is rotated counterclockwise in Fig. 3 or crosswise in Fig. 1 by energization of a solenoid 19 which is linked to the lever 16 so as to pull the same counterclockwise in Fig. 3 to the dotted position of disc 14 against the tension of spring 20 to perform a cutting operation. Therefore, when the solenoid is energized, the cutter is rocked to engage and out 01f a label strip between the two parts of the foot, leaving the rearward portion of the foot in engagement with the doubled-over portion of the tag, as shown in Fig. 10, as hereinafter explained. In this position, it will be seen that the tag is wrapped around the wire 21 and with the tack sides pressed together by the foot and lip 12 so that as soon as the cutter cuts the tape the wrapped wire may be removed by the operator and a new wire put into operation, shown at 21 in Fig. 7, for the next operation.

The above-described foot 10 is shown as the downwardly extending end of an L-shaped bar 22, the longer normally horizontal portion extending rearwardly between guides 75, within the housing 23. The bar is given a limited and intermittent back and forth movement by means of lever 24 forked at both ends and adjustably pivoted at 24'. The upper forked end engages the cross pin 25 extending across the forked end 26 of bar 22 and the lower forked end 91 engages a cross pin 27 which is secured to the piston rod 28 of the operating power source such as cylinder 29, as shown in Fig. 1. When compressed air from air hose 77 is admitted into one side of said cylinder by the displacement of valve 34 controlled by solenoid 51, the piston is forced to the left to move the lever 24 from the posi-. tion shown in the full lines to a substantially vertical position, as illustrated in the dotted lines, thus causing the bar 22 to move forwardly or to the right in Fig. 1 a limited distance to the dotted line position. As the bar 22 is moved forwardly, it is also raised somewhat as by the engagement of the camming surface 30 on the underside of a block 31 thereon with a pin 32, thus lifting the bar 22 as it so moves to the right.

Upon reaching the end of the stroke, however, the camming block 31 moves beyond the pin 32, thus allowing the foot to drop down to its horizontal position under the influence of the tension spring 33. This action brings laterally extending plate 84 on arm 22 of foot 10 into engagement with the automatic return switch 52 closing it to energize return solenoid 53 and reversing the valve 34 to cause the piston 28 to be moved to the right and to thus move the foot to the left in Figs. 1 and 7 to return it to its original position. During this time, the forward position of the foot lies in firm engagement with the tacky side of the tape and pulls it rearwardly assisted by the lip 12 as the foot is moved backwardly. Finally, as the piston 28 reaches the end of the stroke, the cutter switch 41 is operated to operate solenoid 19 and cutter 14 through a time delay relay 42.

On this return stroke, the foot is not lifted by the pin 32 since the pin enters a slot 45 in the block 31, Figs. 5 and 6. The bottom of said slot is biased or slanted to the right in Figs. 5 and 6 so that as the block moves to the rear, the spring-pressed pin 32 is pressed inwardly against the spring 46, and when the end of the stroke is reached the pin springs into place behind the cam block 3 31 without lifting the foot and in position to lift the foot on the next forward stroke.

The position of said pin is preferably made adjustable by mounting the same in a threaded sleeve 47, Fig. 5, which passes through an inclined slot 48 in the base 23 in which it is mounted. The inclined sides of said slot are parallel to the cam face 30. By loosening the nut 49 threaded on the sleeve 47, the pin may be adjusted along the slot 48, thus varying the length of the stroke of the foot so as to accommodate different size wires and also varying the lift of the cam for the same purpose.

In Fig. 6 a modified form of cam block 31 is shown in which further provision is made for readily varying the length of the stroke of the foot 10. In this form an adjustable plate 89 is mounted in a cutaway depression in the face of the block and clamped in place by a set screw 81 extending through a slot in the plate, so that the distance between cam face and the drop edge of the plate 84) may be readily varied.

Referring to the wiring diagram and with the main switch 76 closed, a cycle of operation is initiated by momentarily pressing or closing the manual advance switch 50 which energizes a delayed release electromagnet Silt to close and hold closed relay switch 70 for a period. This energizes the advance coil 51 of the air cylinder control valve 34 to admit compressed air to the right end of cylinder 29 and move the piston 28 to the left in Fig. 1, thus causing the L-shaped bar 22 to move from the full to the dotted line position in Figs. 1 and 7.

As the end of the stroke is approached, the foot first continues to move to the right (Fig. 8) peeling off the tape adhering to it, and then the foot drops down, as explained, to press the tacky sides of the tape together and closing the automatic return switch 52 to complete the circuit through the return solenoid 53 and start the rearward movement of the foot. As the foot reaches the rearward position, the button 78 operating the rotatable cutter switch 41 is operated to set in operation the time delay relay mechanism 42. This momentarily closes a circuit through the electromagnets 54, 55. The second magnet 55 is of the time delay type. Therefore, switch 56 of magnet 54 closes first and completes a holding circuit through the magnets 54 and 55. After a predetermined interval to allow the slot 10' in the foot to align with the cutter, the switch 57 is closed by the magnet 55, thus exciting the cutter operating solenoid l9 and operating the cutter. The magnet 55 then releases the switch '57 so that the circuit of solenoid 19 is again broken and the cutter returned by spring 20.

The cycle of operation of my machine is substantially as follows. From a bundle of wires to be tagged with like or sequential numbers, and with the foot in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7, the operator first places a wire end on the platen against the tacky side of the tape and against the inclined ears 5. At the same time, the operator presses the manual advance switch 5d. This admits air to the cylinder 29 and forces the piston 28 to the left to advance the foot 10 from the full line position in Figs. 1 and 7 to the dotted line position. Since the forward portion of the foot is in engagement with the tacky side of the tape at the initiation of the operation, the end of the tape is lifted upwardly and folded backwardly on itself around the wire 21, as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 7, while the wire is prevented from being raised by the inclined ears 5. As the foot continues to move forwardly, the end of the tape is peeled off the foot, as shown in Fig. 8, dropping down into the dotted line position. When the foot descends by reason of the block 31, having passed beyond the cam pin 32, it assumes the position shown in Fig. 9, in which position it will be seen that the end of the tape has been wrapped around the wire with the tacky side in or down and is pressed against and wound around the portion of the tape on the platen by the part 11 of the foot 10, which action is assisted by the lip 12. At the same time the forward 4 portion 9 of the foot engages the body of the tape and adheres to it. The return switch 52 having been closed by the dropping of the bar 22 with its foot 10, the air pressure in the cylinder is reversed by the energization of the return solenoid 53, and the foot therefor moves rearwardly or to the left carrying with it the tape until the end of the platen is reached and the wrapped wire has been moved beyond the end of the platen as shown in Fig. 10 with the tab under the lip 12 and rearward part of the foot and the forward part in engagement with the upper or tacky side of end of the tape. At this point the cutter switch 41 is operated and the cutter scvers the tab from the balance of the strip. The operator, therefore, removes the tabbed wire from the machine and is ready to start another cycle by inserting another wire, as shown in Fig. 7, and by again pressing the manual advance switch Sit. By my invention, I have been able to speed up many times the tagging operation of wires and the machine may be operated by unskilled labor.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What is claimed is:

1. A wire tagging machine for use with a tape dispenser, comprising a platen over which the tape is intermittently drawn With its tacky side up, an operating foot movably mounted above the platen and adapted in one position to engage and adhere to the end of the tape, means for imparting to said foot limited upward and forward motion by which the end of the tape is lifted, peeled off and folded around a wire placed thereon, means for causing descent of said foot to press the tacky side of the folded tag end of the tape against the same side of the tape on the platen, means for returning said foot to move the tape with it to its first mentioned position, and means for severing the tag end from the body of the tape.

2. A wire tagging machine for use with a tape dispenser, comprising a platen over which the tape is intermittently drawn with its tacky side up, a two-part foot movably mounted above the platen and adapted in one position to have its forward part engage and adhere to the end of the tape, means for imparting to said foot limited upward and forward motion by which the end of the tape is lifted, peeled off and folded around a wire placed thereon, means for causing descent of said foot to press the rearward part of the foot against the folded tape to press its tacky side against the tacky side of the tape on the platen and with the forward portion of the foot engaging and adhering to the tape on the platen, means for returning said foot with the tape to said first mentioned position, and means for finally severing the tag end from the tape between the two parts of the foot, leaving the end of the tape under and adhering to the forward portion of the foot.

3. A wire tagging machine for use with a tape dispenser, comprising a platen over which the tape is intermittently drawn with its tacky side up, raised ears on the sides of said platen to act as a wire holder, an operating foot movably mounted above the platen and adapted in one position to engage and adhere to the end of the tape, means for imparting to said foot limited upward and forward motion by which the end of the tape is lifted, peeled off and folded around a wire placed against said ears, means for causing descent of said foot to press the tacky side of the folded tag against the same side of the tape between said. ears, means for returning said foot to move the tape with it to its first mentioned position, and means for severing the tag from the tape.

4. A wire tagging machine for use with a tape dispenser, comprising a platen over which the tape is intermittently drawn with its tacky side up, raised ears on the sides of said platen to act as a wire holder. a twopart foot movably mounted above the platen and adapted in one position to have its forward part engage and adhere to the end of the tape, means for imparting to said foot limited upward and forward motion by which the end of the tape is lifted, peeled off and folded around a wire placed against said ears, means for causing descent of said foot to press the rearward part of the foot against the folded tape to press its tacky side against the tacky side of the tape between said ears and with the forward portion of the foot engaging and adhering to the tape on the platen, means for returning said foot with the tape to said first mentioned position without lifting the foot, and means for finally severing the tag from the tape between the two parts of the foot, leaving the end of the tape under and adhering to the forward portion of the foot.

5. A wire tagging machine for use with a tape dispenser, comprising a platen over which the tape is intermittently drawn with its tacky side up, a wire holder on said platen, an operating foot movably mounted above the platen and adapted in one position to engage and adhere to the tape near its end, means for imparting to said foot limited upward and forward motion by which the end of the tape is lifted, peeled oif and folded around a wire placed in said holder, means for causing descent of said foot to press the tacky side of the folded tag against the same side of the tape and to engage said foot with the tacky side of the adjacent tape, means for returning said foot to move the taped wire and the tape with it to its first mentioned position, and means for severing the tag from the body of the tape.

Marsh Feb. 27, 1951 Dewyer Feb. 5, 1957 

